Project Ruger - Part I

My new project gun is off to a nice start. My goal is to completely trick out my Ruger Mark III as a tack-driving range pistol. Oh, and it should look cool.

The stock Ruger grips on my Stainless Target model are bad. I'm not even sure they're legitimate plastic - more like 1930's Bakelite. They make such a terrible first impression. This otherwise SWEET looking gun just looks cheesy. Plus, they're slick and don't fill the hand very well. I was surprised though that they shot pretty well.

I remember handling a Mark II some years back with the checkered cocobolo wood grips and really liking them. Ruger offers a 20% off coupon when you register with them (nice little spiff - smart, too) so a pair are ordered.

From the instant I open the package, I know these are MONEY! Rich wood tones. Nice matte finish. And a perfectly positioned thumb rest on the left side. Five minutes with a 2.5mm allen wrench and we're ready to rock.

The transformation is nothing short of jaw-dropping. From Plain Jane to Hot Rod in about a minute! Astounding how such a seemingly minute difference could have such an impact. I got to shoot it on Saturday and the new grips made it feel so much better in-hand.

So, what's next? Well, I need to get about 300 more rounds through it, but I can already see a few items on the horizon (I love these aftermarket projects - the parts are so inexpensive):

• Replacing the cheesy plastic "Loaded Chamber Indicator" with a stainless steel filler (already on order).
• Volquartsen extended magazine release and extended slide release. The new grips are thicker and a longer release would be helpful. 
• Williams Fire Sights fiber optic sights; these are a definite "maybe". I want to shoot the stock sights some more.
• And the big one -- a Volquartsen accurizing kit. This includes lots of components, but is mostly a trigger job to smooth the break and reduce the pull slightly. A little pricey, plus I think I'm going to have Volquartsen do the installation. I've taken a Ruger trigger apart before...

FirePOWER

One of the earliest pistols I had the opportunity to shoot was a Kimber stainless Custom 1911 in .45ACP. As it was a rental unit at a local shooting range and had seen a lot of rounds fired and minimal maintenance, I loved that gun. So guns just fit and feel right - that was this gun's story.

Subsequent to that, I had a number of opportunities to shoot a friend's 1911's. These included a rather basic Springfield Armory that I could just never make friends with and a rather fussy Colt. While I liked the 1911 platform very much. Neither of those guns compared to that Kimber.

Last week, I was fortunate enough to finally own the object of my affections. While I haven't yet had the opportunity to shoot it, I love it already. The heft -- just right. The simple, logical action. The exceptional level of fit and finish is outstanding. Barrel lock-up seems perfect and the action is precise and controlled.

I'm glad I waited. I'd considered a Taurus, but that just didn't seem quite right for this very special pistol. A Remington seemed like a cost-effective American-made option, but the R1 is a pretty bare-bones model. This would have necessitated a bunch of work with a pistolsmith to do a trigger job, polish and flare the feed ramp, swap out the hammer, etc. Before long, you've got a $600 gun with $600 worth of custom work. Or, I could just buy the Kimber that already has all of that and more.

Finally, I must confess to some personal vanity. I can't explain WHY, but I just had to have a stainless model. Do I have any practical reason for this? Nope. It's just shiny and I like that.

More to follow once I've had the chance to shoot this beast.

-Sean-